How To Use LinkedIn To Build Your Reputation
Posted by Jason Rudland on Thu, Feb 02, 2012 @ 01:15 AM
Most business people these days recognise LinkedIn as a powerful lead generation tool. Even those who shun 'social media' are rarely talking about LinkedIn. It's professional atmosphere, maybe, provides a comforting and familiar environment in which even the most traditional of business owners can thrive.
As in real life, your virtual online life as a business person will rise or fall based on your reputation. Social proof is a massive motivator for buyers to chose one supplier over another. As humans we like to be like sheep in this respect - we just love to do what we see everyone else doing. So, how can you project your reputation online?
The ol' boys network
I invented LinkedIn in the early nineties. Or at least, that's what my mum will tell you if you ask her. As a young man in business back then, I was frustrated at being frozen out by what I saw as the ol' boys network. People would buy from the people they knew, even though what I was offering was better and cheaper. (Okay, not that much cheaper!) My response was to build a new boys network online. To cut a long story short, it was a great idea, but ultimately I didn't know enough about how to get financing for such a venture back then. It closed pretty quickly, and a few years later I became aware of LinkedIn.
As with the ol' boys network and my ripped off idea, LinkedIn - the key is the connections you have. Before you can build an online reputation, or transfer your real-life reputation online, you have to build your network. So here are some quick tips:
- Make sure your LinkedIn profile is 100% complete
- Invite your email contact list to connect (your business email contacts, not your companies mailing list)
- Invite everyone you meet, speak to or interact with on a professional level
Social Proof is Key
Once you have your connections in place it's time to ask for some recommendations - these are the social proof to those inside and outside your network that you are a good person to work with.
Don't invite just everyone to give you a LinkedIn recommendation, but just those who you've interacted with and can vouch for you in some way. Maybe you presented a seminar - the attendees could write a review for you. If the seminar was free I'm sure they'd be delighted.
All in all, LinkedIn have done a pretty good job with my idea. I give them my blessing. But it's up to you to put your best foot forward on LinkedIn. One of the most effective and powerful ways is to use social proof and get lots of LinkedIn recommendations.
